Smart card driven device configuration changes

Abstract

A smart card determines if the smart card has been inserted into a device, and retrieves a device identifier and at least one application configuration value from the device if the smart card has been inserted into the device. The smart card compares the retrieved device identifier and the at least one application configuration value with a device identifier and at least one application configuration value previously stored in the smart card. The smart card causes the retrieved device identifier and the at least one application configuration value to be sent to an Over The Air (OTA) server if the comparison indicates that the retrieved device identifier or the at least one application configuration value is different than the previously stored device identifier or the at least one application configuration value, so that the OTA server can supply application parameter changes to the mobile device for future device operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 determining if a smart card has been inserted into a device; 
 retrieving, if the smart card has been inserted into the device, application configuration parameters previously stored in the smart card; 
 pushing, responsive to the smart card being inserted into the device, the retrieved application configuration parameters, from the smart card to the device, for use in device operations; 
 receiving subsequent application configuration parameter changes at the smart card from an Over the Air (OTA) server; 
 storing the application configuration parameter changes at the smart card; 
 pushing the received application parameter changes from the smart card to the device for use in device operations; 
 determining if the smart card has been removed from the device; and 
 resetting the application configuration parameter changes stored in the device to default values responsive to the smart card being removed from the device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the smart card comprises a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC), a removable user identity card (R-UIM), a subscriber identity module (SIM), a universal subscriber identity module (USIM), or an Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia services identity module (ISIM). 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a device having wireless communication mechanisms. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises one of a cellular radiotelephone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a laptop computer, a palmtop computer, a gaming device, a media player device, a tablet computer, or a digital camera. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a communication device that uses a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC)-based subscriber identity module (SIM) for authentication and application enabling. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the application configuration parameters comprise one or more of an Access Point Name (APN), a Network Access Identifier (NAI), Multi-Media Messaging Service (MMS) information, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) information, or one or more application keys. 
     
     
       7. A smart card, comprising:
 input/output circuitry configured to interface with a device; 
 a memory; 
 a processing unit configured to:
 retrieve from the device, when the smart card is inserted into the device, a first application configuration change counter that tracks changes in one or more application configuration parameters associated with operation of the device, 
 compare the retrieved first application configuration change counter with a second application configuration change counter previously stored in the memory of the smart card, 
 cause the retrieved first application configuration change counter to be sent to an Over The Air (OTA) server based on the comparison, 
 receive a modified version of the first application configuration change counter from the device via the input circuitry, wherein the device generated the modified version of the first application configuration change counter value based on receiving changes in the one or more application configuration parameters from the OTA server, and 
 replace, in the memory, the previously stored second application configuration change counter with the modified version of the first application configuration change counter. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The smart card of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more application configuration parameters comprise one or more of an Access Point Name (APN), a Network Access Identifier (NAI), Multi-Media Messaging Service (MMS) information, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) information, or application keys. 
     
     
       9. The smart card of  claim 7 , wherein, when comparing the retrieved first application configuration change counter with the second application configuration change counter previously stored in the memory, the processing unit is further configured to:
 determine if the first application configuration change counter is different than the previously stored second application configuration change counter. 
 
     
     
       10. The smart card of  claim 7 , wherein the smart card comprises a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC), a removable user identity card (R-UIM), a subscriber identity module (SIM), a universal subscriber identity module (USIM), or an Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia services identity module (ISIM). 
     
     
       11. The smart card of  claim 7 , wherein the first application configuration change counter comprises a Terminal Profile Number (TPN) or an Application Configuration Tracking Value (ACTV). 
     
     
       12. A method, comprising:
 retrieving, at a smart card, a first application configuration change counter that tracks changes in one or more application configuration parameters associated with operation of a device with which the smart card is used; 
 comparing, at the smart card, the retrieved first application configuration change counter with a second application configuration change counter previously stored in the smart card to produce a first comparison; 
 sending the retrieved first application configuration change counter to an Over The Air (OTA) server based on the first comparison; 
 receiving, at the device from the OTA server, changes in the one or more application configuration parameters; 
 modifying, at the device, the first application configuration change counter; and 
 replacing, in the smart card, the previously stored second application configuration change counter with the modified first application configuration change counter. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more application configuration parameters comprise one or more of an Access Point Name (APN), a Network Access Identifier (NAI), Multi-Media Messaging Service (MMS) information, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) information, or application keys. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein retrieving the first application configuration change counter comprises:
 retrieving, at the smart card, the first application configuration change counter when the smart card is inserted into the device. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , wherein sending the retrieved first application configuration change counter to an Over The Air (OTA) server further comprises:
 sending the first application configuration change counter to the OTA server if the first comparison indicates that the first application configuration change counter is different than the previously stored second application configuration change counter. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 retrieving, at the smart card from the device, a first device identifier associated with the device, in conjunction with retrieving the first application configuration change counter. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 comparing, at the smart card, the retrieved first device identifier with a second device identifier previously stored in the smart card to produce a second comparison, and 
 wherein sending the retrieved first application configuration change counter to the OTAs server is further based on the second comparison. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the smart card comprises a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC), a removable user identity card (R-UIM), a subscriber identity module (SIM), a universal subscriber identity module (USIM), or an Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia services identity module (ISIM). 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the device comprises a device having wireless communication mechanisms and wherein the device comprises one of a cellular radiotelephone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a laptop computer, a palmtop computer, a gaming device, a media player device, a tablet computer, or a digital camera. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 12 , wherein modifying the first application configuration change counter further comprises incrementing the first application configuration change counter, and wherein replacing the previously stored second application configuration change counter further comprises replacing the previously stored second application configuration change counter with the incremented first application configuration change counter.